Clasp for holding envelopes



(No'M odeLy I 4 M. E. GOODWIN & S. H. LEWIS.

CLASP FOR HOLDING ENVELOPES, PAPER, 6w.

No. 504,213. Pg tented Aug. 29, 1893.

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MARY EVERT GOODW' IN AND SAMUEL I-IALSEY LEWIS, OF JAMAICA PLAIN, MASSACHUSETTS.

CLASP FOR HOLDING ENVELOPES, PAPER, 800.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 504,213, dated August 29, 1893.

Application filed April 15, 1893- Serial No. 470,477. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, MARY EVERT GOOD- WIN and SAMUEL HALsEY Lnwrs, citizens of the United States, residing at Jamaica Plain, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clasps for Holding Envelopes, Paper, (to. and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Our invention relates to improvements in adjustable clasps for holding envelopes, writing paper, and stationary generally, and it consists of certain novel features hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is had tothe accompanying drawings, in which the same parts are indicated by the sameletters throughout the several views.

Figure 1 represents a perspective view of a package of envelopes held in our adjustable clasp. Fig. 2 represents a plan View of the clasp when stretched out, and Fig. 3 represents a section along the line a: w of Fig. 2, and looking toward the top of the sheet.

A represents the package of envelopes.

B represents a band or ribbon of silk, velvet, or other suitable material.

0 represents a buckle of the type commonly used in garters, the said buckle being formed of two portions 0' and O pivoted together at c, and having a broad eye 0' to engage the band B.

D represents a flattened tube adapted to receive the band B, which should pass freely therethrough. Stamped out of the ends of this tube are aplurality of lugs d which are turned up as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

Mounted over the ends of the flattened tube D, are two sliding pieces D having turnedup ends d and bearing faces d between which ends (1 and faces d the band B is nipped, or held by friction, as shown in Fig. 3. The inner sides of these sliding pieces are bent over as shown at di and these bent flaps d are provided with longitudinal guide slots at in which the lugs 61 engage. These two sliding pieces B may be run in or out to the length of the slot d, and hence a stiff back for the envelopes or writing paper is obtained adjustable in length. The friction of the slide and the tube, especially when the band B is drawn up somewhat tightly will hold the said slides at any desired position.

Since the device would look neater, especially in a desk where various sizes of envelopes and writing paper are laid out, if the buckle C be over the middle of the package, the band B, tube D, and slides B, are so made that the ribbon or band may be slipped through the flattened tube and slides, and thus the buckle end of the clasp may be adjusted at any desired distance from the slide plate D adjacent thereto. The nip occasioned by bending the band between the end piece d and the surface d will be sufficient to hold the buckle C in its relative position against ordinary accidental pressure that may be brought upon it by removing one of the envelopes, ora sheet of paper, &c. In the use of elastic bands for similar purposes, there is a tendency of the elastic to bend the envelopes or sheets of paper, giving them a permanent set, or to cause the ends of the envelopes to bulge out, but by the herein described device a perfectly flat and neat bundle is obtained.

It will be seen that the clasp may be readily adjusted to packages of various sizes.

Should it be preferred, but one of the sliding pieces D may be used, in which case the adj ustability of the device would depend upon the length of the slot d in that sliding piece alone.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. An adjustable clasp for holding packages of envelopes, writing paper, and the like,which consists of a band, a buckle secured to one end of said band and adapted to engage the other end, a flattened tube having an aperture therethrough adapted to receive said band, and a sliding piece mounted over each end of said flattened 'tube for adjusting the clasp to suit the width of the package to be held, substantially as described.

2. An adjustable clasp for holding packages of envelopes,writing paper, and the like, which consistsof a band, a buckle secured to one end of said band, and adapted to engage the 'too other end, a flattened tube D, having an aperture therethrough adapted to receive said band, and lugs d projecting from the ends thereof, and sliding pieces D bent over as at d and provided with slots d adapted to engage said lugs d, substantially as and for the purposes described.

3. An adjustable clasp for holding packages of envelopes,writing paper, and the like, which consists of aband, a buckle secured to one end of said band and adapted to engage the other end, a flattened tube D having an aperture therethrough adapted to receive said band, and lugs d projecting from the ends of said tube, and sliding pieces D bent over as at d and provided with slots 61 adapted to engage said lugs d, and end faces 01 and end pieces 61', substantially as and for the purposes described.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

MARY EVERT GOODWIN. SAMUEL HALSEY LEWIS. Witnesses:

GEORGE A. O. ERNST, OTIS S. CLEMENT. 

